The BBC is navigating a complicated stretch, with its flagship science fiction series Doctor Who facing a potential multi-year absence and its director general publicly backing a controversial plan to extend the annual television license fee to streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+.
New BBC director general Matt Brittin made both declarations on Tuesday as the corporation published its annual report. On Doctor Who, Brittin acknowledged that the show's Christmas special had been canceled following the exit of showrunner Russell T Davies, producer Bad Wolf, and co-producer Disney+. The BBC has announced a competitive tender process for Season 16, in which producers will pitch for the right to take over the series.
"That's a show that has regenerated multiple times in its 60-plus year history, and we'll do so again," Brittin said, according to Deadline. "I think that's one of the great things about the 100-year history of the BBC. We can do that, and we can creatively renew shows that people love, and we'll be working hard on that right now."
The BBC has given no timeline for when it will take the show to market. Industry insiders believe Doctor Who will not return until 2028 at the very earliest, with some predicting the break could last up to five years. The tender process alone can take up to six months.
On funding, Brittin said there is "logic" in expanding the current £180 ($240) annual license fee to cover households that watch content on streaming platforms but not live television. License fee paying households dropped by 539,000 last year, one of the largest single-year declines on record.
"If you go back in time you used to pay the license fee if you were watching live TV but not from the BBC," Brittin said at the BBC's annual report press briefing, responding to a question from Deadline. "So if you were only watching ITV you would still pay the license fee. So there is a logic when you think about expanding the scope to other services."
He also acknowledged the obstacles. "The enforcement side of this is difficult and that is why the government is right to be looking at all the different ways you could be thinking about scope and collection," he added. "We need to look at all of those things and through the summer we will be having those discussions."
Brittin's position aligns with UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, who signaled her support for the streamer plan the day before. The Motion Picture Association, which represents U.S. streamers and studios, has already pushed back against the proposal.
To support his argument, Brittin pointed to the BBC's role in building the UK production ecosystem. "Investment by the BBC and others in the production ecosystem is one of the reasons the streamers are able to come here and make shows," he said. "Netflix is making a big production in Cardiff and they can only do that because of years of investment from the BBC."
On the commercial side, BBC Studios reported a 17 percent increase in earnings to £263 million ($352 million) for the fiscal year. BBC Select, a documentary streaming service, grew revenues by 61 percent, while BritBox North America revenues grew 20 percent. Consumer products tied to the animated children's series Bluey also contributed significantly to the commercial arm's improved earnings.
The BBC's discussions about its future funding model are expected to continue through the summer.
